2) The second angle is that a right response to God involves doxology.

Doxology is worship, praise and gratitude.

Praise for what God has done.

Praise for His words, decrees, call, choosing and covenant.

Praise for being connected to God’s purposes in the past and going forward.

Praise for being part of Abraham’s “creation story”.

Joshua is worshipping God.

But going forward in God’s purposes requires an additional right response.

As Joshua has taught us, we are not our own anymore.

We must submit to God and His purposes and work.

This is done with obedience!

5) COVENANT RENEWAL

Joshua 24:14–15 (ESV) — 14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua’s Challenge:

Joshua issues a challenge to the Israelites – “Now therefore” and “Choose this day”.

In response to God’s work on their behalf, praise isn’t enough; they must obey him.

Joshua is calling them to covenant faithfulness.

“Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness” (vs. 15)

David Howard describes the significance of this challenge:

“The choice laid out here for Israel was a breathtaking one. The language about choice is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. Normally, God was the one who did the choosing, having chosen Israel from among the nations to be his people (see, e.g., Deut 4:37; 7:6–7; 10:15; 14:2). But now, Israel was being asked to choose its loyalties, something the pagan nations did not have to do because they could embrace all the gods” – David Howard.

What does “Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness” look like?

“Put away the gods served beyond the River” and “the gods of the Amorites” (vs. 14 & 15)

The Israelites are committing idolatry in the Promised Land.

Not the response God and His work deserve.

A right response, in addition to worship, is to reject idolatry and follow after Yahweh in obedience.

Worship is not just a physical act of acknowledgment:

John 4:24 (ESV) — 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Romans 12:1 (ESV) — 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Beyond the River:

Joshua’s use of the language, “beyond the River”, is no accident.

Remember – Abraham was taken from “beyond the River”! (vs. 3)

Abraham “served other gods” beyond the River.

Why is this significant?

The things from “beyond the River” are to be left behind – they are “old creation”.

There is one more reason why this “beyond the River” language is significant.

Where is it that a disobedient Israel is exiled?

The Assyrians and the Babylonians take them “beyond the River”.

Joshua’s Choice:

Joshua has made his choice – “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (vs. 15).

Joshua expresses his choice to be covenant faithful.

To refrain from spiritual adultery.

He expresses his desire to be caught up in God’s redemptive history.

God’s putting things right.

He does not want what is “beyond the River”.

Israel says they don’t either.

Israel’s Answer:

Israel answered Joshua’s challenge.

Joshua 24:21–28 (ESV) — 21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.” 22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” 28 So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.

What do the Israelites say?

“We will serve the Lord” (vs. 21)

“We are witnesses” against ourselves (vs. 22)

“The Lord our God we well serve, and his voice we will obey” (vs. 24)

Following in their fathers’ footprints at Sinai, they affirmed the Covenant of Works with God.

Again, Moses makes clear in Deuteronomy that this covenant is conditional.

If they obey – blessings.

If they disobey – curses.

Joshua then seals the deal and pronounces some ominous words:

“The covenant was sealed by (1) the recording of the words in a book and (2) the setting up of a stone as a “witness” to it” – David Howard.

And with that Joshua says the stone “shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God”.

As we saw last week in Judges, the implications of Joshua’s words are soon brought to bear.

The Israelites “…soon demonstrated that theirs was indeed a shallow, superficial faith” – David Howard.

We will cover Joshua’s final words next week when we cover the depravity of Israel and God’s Covenant Faithfulness.